Walt Whitman: A Culminating Song

A CULMINATING SONG

Set by John Mitchell  (1941-) op. 55 (1984),
 from Three Songs from the Mystic Trumpeter, no. 3. 
Text by Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

culminating.mp3
 

Hear now O trumpeter for thy close, vouchsafe a higher strain than any yet,
Sing to my soul, renew its languishing faith and hope
Rouse up my slow belief, give me some vision of the future,
Give me for once its prophecy and Joy.

O glad, exulting, culminating song
A vigor more than earth is in thy notes,
Marches of victory, man disenthral'd, the conqueror at last,
Hymns to the universal God from universal man, all Joy!

A reborn race appears.  A perfect world,
Women and men in wisdom, innocence and health,
Riotous, laughing bacchanals fill'd with Joy!

War, sorrow, suffering gone
The rank earth purged of all but joy
All but Joy!

O glad, exulting, culminating song
A vigor more than earth is in thy notes,
Marches of victory, man disenthral'd
Hymns to the universal God from universal man

The ocean fill'd with joy
The atmosphere all Joy!

O glad, exulting, culminating song
A vigor more than earth is in thy notes,
Marches of victory, man disenthral'd
Hymns to the universal God from universal man.

The ocean fill'd with Joy
The atmosphere all Joy!
All Joy, all Joy!